Fuse-cartridge



F. A. FELDKAMP.`

FUSE CARTRIDGE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 29. 1920.

1 ,397,805, Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Mw .I

A TTOR/VEYS w UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.

FUSE-CARTRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

o Patented Nov. 22,1921.

Application led October 29, 1920. Serial No. 420,447.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. F nLD- KAMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at lvewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuse-Cartridges; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciication.

The present invention relates, generally, to improvements in fuse cartridges; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to improvements in the construction of multiple fuse cartridges of the general class and kind described by my prior United States Letters Patent of January 22, 1918, No. 1,254,490, and of June 4, 1918, No. 1,268,807.

his invention has for its principaly object to provide a novel arrangement and construction of contact means for multiple fuse cartridges, which are particularly adapted to provide such cartridges with the knifeblade type of exterior contact elements, although the general principles involved may also be adapted to the ferrule or terminal cap type of exterior contact elements.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the same consists in the novel construction of multiple fuse cartridge hereinafter set forth; and the invention also consists in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which t- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my novel construction of multiple fuse cartridge provided with knife-blade exterior contact elements; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same, taken on line 2 2 in said Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the lefthand end of the same; Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the right-hand end of the same; Fig. 5 is a transverse section, taken on line 5-5 in said Fig. 2;' and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of one end of .the fuse cartridge illustrating the manner of manipulating the same in shifting the electrical engagement of an exterior contact element from one internal fuse to another.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a modified construction showing the principles of the invention applied to the ferrulc or terminal cap type of interior contact element.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a tubular casing constructed of some suitable insulating material. Fixed in one end of said casing 1 is a plug or contact pin carrier 2 which is also made of some suitable insulating material, and in which are embedded for longitudinal extension therethrough a plurality of metallic contact pins 3. Inserted within the opposite end of said casing 1 is a metallic anchor member L1 which is provided with an annular rim or flangeA 5 stopped against said end of the casing 1. Said anchor member 4 is provided with a central perforation or opening bounded by an inwardly extending annular liange' so as to provide a socket in which is received one end of an inwardly projecting contact post 7 suitably secured in place by solder 8 or otherwise. The inner free end of said contact post 7 is provided with a laterally disposed head 9. Extending between the inner end of each contact pin 3 and said head of the contact post is a fuse element or wire 10. Preferably said fuse elements or wires 10 are individually segregated in separate chambersby partition means 11 of X-shape in cross section ex` tending between said plug or contact pin carrier 2 and said head 9 of the contact post 7. The outer ends of said contact pins 3 are situated within countersunk sockets 12, one of which is provided for each such contact pin in the outer end of said plug or contact pin carrier 2.

Secured in external relation to each end of said casing 1 is a sleeve or shell 13 formed to provide external screw threads. Said sleeves or shells are suitably fixed against turning on the casing by any suitable means.

rranged to screw upon each sleeve or shell 13 is a movable sleeve or shell 14 formed with internal screw threads to operatively engage said external screw threads of the sleevesor shells 14 are provided at theirfixed sleeve or shell 13. Said movable outer ends with inwardly projecting annular flanges 15, and, when assembled, are additionally provided at their inner ends Vwith.

inwardly projecting stop portions 16. |fhe said movable sleeves or shells 14 are substantially longer than the fixed sleeves or shells 13, so that the former are, when turned on the latter, capable of inward or outward longitudinal traveling movement on the latter, the outward traveling movement being limited'by the engagement of the stop portions 16 with the inner ends of said fixed sleeves or shells 13. Y

The reference character 17 indicates a detached metallic plate orl disk of a size adapted to fit within the outer end of one of said movable sleeves or shells 14, and so that its marginal portions may be engaged by the flange 15 of such sleeve or shell. Secured to the plate or disk 17 so as to project outwardly from the outer face of the same is a knife-blade contact element 18. Thermeans forconnectingsaid plurality of fuse elements or wires 10, individually, successively or selectively in electrical connection with said plate or disk 17 and its knifeblade contact element, comprises a tubular female contact member 19, which is secured, both mechanically and electrically to said plate or disk, and in position to extend or project longitudinally toward said plug or contact pin carrier 2 and the contact-pins- 3 carried thereby. The inner side 'of said plate or disk 17 is provided with a facing 20 of insulating material through which said female contact member 19 extends.

Vrlhe reference character 21 indicates a de- -tached metallic plate or disk of a size adapted to lit within the outer end of the opposite movable sleeve or shell 14, and so V,that its marginal portions may be engaged by-the flange 15 ofrsuch sleeve or shell. Secured to said plate or disk 21 so as to project outwardly from the outer face of the same is the opposite knife-blade contact element 22. Y

Then the movable shells 14 are secured inwardly they Serve to hold, in the one case the plate or disk 17 bound against one end of the cartridge with the female contact member 19 operatively engaged with Vone of the contact pins 3, and in the other case the v plate or disk 21 bound against theopposite end of the cartridge lin electrical contact with the annular rim or flange 5 of the anchor member 4, all as shown more particularly in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

l/Vhen one fuse element or wire 10 blows and it is desired to interconnect in circuit between the knife-blade contact elements another fuse element or wire 10, the movable sleeve or shell 14 at one end of the cartridge is unscrewed to cause outward longitudinal movement of the same until stopped by the engagement of the stop portions 16 with the fixed sleeve or shell 13. TheV knife-blade contact element 18 and the plate or disk V17 are then pulled outwardly to withdraw from the engaged contact pin 3 the female contact member 19, and said parts are given a one-quarter turn and thrust inwardly to the next contact pin 3, whereupon the movable sleeve or shell 14 is secured inwardly v to bind said plate or disk 17 and its knifeposition. By virtue of the constructionand method of operation entailed, good electrical contact between the several contact devices intermediate the knife-blade contact elements and the fuse terminals is assured and is maintained during any handling or rough treatment involved in the act of inserting or removing the knife-blade contact elements in or from the cut-out clips operating to hold the fuse cartridge connected in the lelectric circ-uit to be served thereby.

' lt will be understood tha't each fuse element chamber or compartment, as well as the space surrounding the contact post 7,

is adapted to belilled with the' usual filler powder, or similar material, such as is commonly used in 'fuse cartridges toV absorb the vapors generated bythe burning of the fuse element, although in order not to interfere with the clear illustration of the mechanical construction of my invention, graphic illustration of such powder has been omitted from the drawings. Referring now toV Fig. 7 of the drawings l have illustrated the principles of the construction of my invention as applied to fuseV cartridges having external contact devices of the cap or ferrule type., ln this construction instead of providing the plate or disk 17 with a knife-blade contact element 18, I provide the same with an, outwardly projecting transverse rib 23 forming a lingerpiece by means of which the plate'or disk with its female contact member 19 may be readily manipulated for bringing into operation successive fuse elements. In place of the movable sleeve or shell 14 I provide a cylindricalferrule 24 having at its outer end the inwardly extending flange V25 for engaging the plate or disk 17', and at the inner end the inwardly turned stop portions 26. Said ferrule 24 is provided at intervals f engage said female contact member 19 with with inwardly directed projections 27 which engage in the screw thread provided by the fixed sleeve or shell 13, thus permitting said ferrule to be screwed inwardly and outwardly on said iixed sleeve or shell 13 lor the purposesabove mentioned, but nevertheless permitting to the external side oi said ferrule the smooth surface necessary to assure good electrical contact thereof with the clips of the cut-out holding the cartridge connected in the electric circuit to be served thereby. Since there is no necessity for alinement 01": the external contact means, as is the case when knife-blade contact elements are employed, the errule or cap (not shown) on the opposite'end of the cartridge may be permanently xed in the customary manner. In operating the above described modified construction of fuse cartridge to bring successively into service the respective fuse elements or wires 10, manipulation ot the parts may be carried out in substantially the same manner as already above described, as will be understood.

I claim 1. The combination with a multiple fuse cartridge having a casing inclosing plurality of fuse elements and contact means for each fuse element at one end of said casing, of an exterior contact element having means for selective engagement with any one of said contact means, a shell adapted to fit upon said casing and to occupy different positions thereon in a rotative direction, said shell having means at its outer end Jfor engaging and holding said contact element in operative position.

2. The combination with a multiple fuse cartridge having a casing inclosing a. plurality of fuse elements and contact means for each fuse element at one end of said casing of an exterior contact element having means tor selective engagement with any one of said contact means, a threaded portion on the adjacent end of said casing, a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portieri, and said shell having means at its outer end for engaging and holding said contact element in operative position.

3. The combination with a multiple fuse cartridge having a casing inclosing a plurality ot fuse elements and contact means for each fuse element at one end of said casing of an exterior contact element having means for selective engagement with any one of said contact means, a threaded portion on the adjacent end of said casing, a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portion, said shell having means at its outer end for engaging and holding said contact element in operative position, and stop means at the inner end of said shell for limiting the outward movement of the same when unscrewed.

4. The combination with a multiple fuse cartridge having a casing inclosing a plurality of fuse elements and Contact pins for each fuse element at one end of said casing of a separable metallic dislr having a female contact device for selective engagement with said Contact pins, a threaded portion on the adjacent end of said casing, a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portion, and said shell having at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim ior engaging the marginal portions ot said dislr when said shell is screwed vhome to hold said dislr imn movable and its contact device operatively engaged with a contact pin.

5. The combination with a multiple fuse cartridge having a casing inclosing a plurality of fuse elements and contact pins for each fuse element at one end of said casing of a separable metallic dislr having a female contact device for selective engagement with said contact pins, a threaded portion on the adjacent end of said casing, a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portion, said shell having at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim for engaging the marginal portions of said disk when said shell is screwed home to hold said disk immovable and its contact device operatively engaged with a contact pin, stop means at the inner end of said shell for limiting the outward movement thereol when unscrewed, and said shell being ot such length relative to said threaded portion that when unscrewed to its outward limit said dislr is permitted to be moved outwardly to free its Contact device from the engaged contact pin.

6. A multiple fuse cartridge comprising' a casing, a plurality 01"' fuse elements within said casing, a common anchoring means and conductor for said fuse elements at one end of said casing, a separate anchoring means and conductor for each fuse element at the opposite end ot said casing, an exterior contact element at one end of said cartridge electrically engaged with said common anchoring means and conductor, an exterior contact element at the opposite end ot said cartridge having means for selectively engaging the same electrically with any one ot said separate anchoring means and conductors, a threaded portion on the end of said casingadjacent to said latter contact element, and a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portion, said shell having means engaging and holding said latter Contact element in operative position.

7. A multiple fuse cartridge comprising a casing, a plurality of fuse elements within said casing, a common metallic conductor electrically engaged with said fuse elements at one end of said casing, separate metallic Contact pins tor each fuse element at the opposite end of said casing, a separable metallic disk having a female contact device for selective engagement with said Contact pins, a, knife-blade Contact secured to and proj ecting outwardly from said disk, a threaded portion on the end of said casing adjacent to said contact pins, a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portion, said shell having at its outer end an inwardly vprojecting annular rim for engaging the marginal portions of said disk when said shell is Ascrewed home to hold said disk immovable andits female contact device operatively engaged with a contact pin, a second knife blade contact, and means for holding the latter'in electrical engagement with said common metallic' conductor for saidfuse elements.

8. A multiple fuse cartridge comprising a casing, a plurality of fuse elements within Vsaid casing, a common metallic conductor electrically engaged with said fuse elements at one end vof said casing, separate metallic contact pins for each fuse element at the opposite end of said casing, a` separable metallic disk having a female contact device for selective engagement with said contact pins,ra knife-blade contact secured to and projecting outwardlyT from said disk, a threaded portion on the end of said casing adjacent to said contact pins, a shell adapted to screw on said threaded portion, said shell having at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim for engaging the marginal portions of said disk when said shell is screwed home to hold said disk immovable and its female contact device operatively engaged witha contact pin, a second metallic disk, a second knife-blade contact secured to and projecting outwardly from said second disk, a threaded portion on the opposite end of said casing, and a second shell adapted to screw on said latter threaded portion, said latter shellhaving at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim for engaging the marginal edges of said second disk to hold the latter electrically engaged with said common metallic conductor and its knife-blade contact in alinement with the opposite knife-blade contact. f

9. A multiple fuse cartridge comprising a casing, a plurality of fuse elements within said casing, a common metallic conductor electrically engaged with said fuse elements at one end of said casing, separate Ametallic contact pins for each fuse element at the opposite end of said casing, a separable metallic disk having a female contact device projecting inwardly therefrom, a facing of insulating material at the inner side of said disk, a knife-blade contact secured to and projecting outwardly from said disk, a

threaded shell fixed on the end of said casing adjacent to said contact pins, amovable threaded shell adapted to screw on said fixed shell, said movable shell having at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim for engaging the marginal portions of said disk when Vsaid movable shell is screwed home to hold said disk immovable and its female metallic conductor at the opposite end of said fuse elements.

l0. A multipleV fuse cartridge comprising a casing, a plurality of yfuse elements within said casing, a common metallic conductor electrically engaged with said fuse elements at one end of said casing, separate metallic contact pins for each fuse element at the opposite end of said casing, a separable metallic disk having a female contact device projecting inwardly therefrom, a facing of insulating material at the inner side of said disk, a knife-blade contact secured to and projecting outwardly .from said disk, a threaded shell fixed on the end of said casing Vadj acent to saidcontact pins, a movable threaded shell adapted to screw on said fixed shell, said movable shell having at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim for engaging the marginal portions of said disk when said movable shell is secured home to hold said disk immovable and its female contact device operatively engaged with a contact pin, stop means at the inner end of said movable shell for limiting the outward movement thereof, said movable shell being of such length relativeV to said fixed shell that when unscrewedv to its outwardlimit disk is permitted to be moved outwardly to free its female contact device from the engaged contact pin, a second metallic disk, a second knife-blade contact secured to and projecting outwardly from said second disk, a second fixed threaded shell on the-opposite end of said casing, a second movable threaded shell to screw on said second fined shell, said second movable shell having at its outer end an inwardly projecting annular rim for engaging the marginal portions of said second disk to hold the latter in electrical engagement withsaid common metallic con-A vFREDERICK A. FELDKAMP.

Witnesses: Y

Grenen D. RICHARDS, DORA WALLV 

